‘It’s a treasure’: artists unite to secure gallery’s future

A growing campaign to secure the future of the Anglesea Art Space has drawn almost 100 supporters in just over a week, as locals and artists seek certainty about the gallery’s future beyond 2027.

Supporters fear the long-running community gallery could be lost when its current lease expires in June next year, prompting a surge of submissions to the Surf Coast Shire and a grassroots effort to highlight the venue’s value to the community.

The shire says the gallery’s funding has always been considered as part of the annual budget process and that no decision has been made about the future of the art space.

But for artist Pattie Beerens, the conversation has highlighted just how much is at stake.

After a career in law reform, Beerens turned to art later in life and was still finding her feet when she joined her first exhibition at the Anglesea Art Space in 2018.

“The Anglesea Art Space was the first place that treated my work as if it mattered,” she said.

“That is not a small thing. For many people in this community, it remains the only place that does.”

Since that first exhibition, Beerens’ practice has become internationally recognised. Her work has been featured in public collections and international publications, she has been selected for residencies in China and Sweden, and she is the recipient of several major awards.

“If it wasn’t for the art space, I don’t think my practice would have developed and been able to do what it did,” Beerens said.

But she said the gallery’s greatest achievement could not be measured in awards or exhibitions.

 

 

Over many years, it has become a place where artists, community groups and creative projects intersect, creating relationships that extend well beyond the gallery walls.

“That’s community in a way that we dream of,” Beerens said. “You can’t just recreate it easily. Somehow there’s a magic working.”

The rapid response from supporters, she said, reflected those years of connection and shared experience.

“I have never seen this many people in this community stand up so quickly and say, ‘No. We need to keep this’,” Beerens said.

“A swimming pool is a great asset, but it doesn’t deliver community the way this does.”

It’s a sense of belonging fellow artist Anne Davies understands well.

After moving to Anglesea from Melbourne during the pandemic, Davies was searching for ways to connect with her new community.

“The art space was just a godsend,” she said.

Introduced to the gallery through the Surf Coast Arts Trail, Davies joined the Surf Coast Weaver Birds and soon found herself working towards an exhibition alongside a group of new friends.

“It was so exciting to have a goal to being able to work towards an exhibition with people and you begin to feel like you’re part of the community,” she said.

Through the gallery, Davies became involved in new creative groups, met artists from across Victoria and developed friendships that now form a significant part of her life on the coast.

“In 2020, I didn’t know any of these people,” she said. “The art space has connected me into the community in a way I never expected.”

Davies said supporters of the art space understood the council faced competing budget pressures, but believed the gallery delivered significant value for a relatively modest investment.

 

 

Artists contribute through exhibition fees, commissions on sales and hundreds of volunteer hours each year, she said, and the community was willing to work with the council to ensure the space remained viable.

“If the council wants something more from us or from the community or from artists, we’re ready to work with them to meet their goals,” Davies said.

Chris Pike, the shire’s general manager of placemaking and environment, said the council remained committed to supporting the arts and no decision had been made about the future of the Anglesea Art Space beyond the current lease period.

The gallery’s lease runs until June 2027 and funding is proposed in the draft 2026–27 budget.

“Funding has been considered on an annual basis since the art space’s inception and this year is no different,” Pike said.

“Like many other initiatives, councillors will consider [their] options over the next 12 months.

“No decisions have been made.”

He said community feedback would form part of that process and acknowledged the support being expressed through submissions to this year’s draft budget consultation.

While supporters point to the gallery’s role in building community, Roe Clapham said it also provides opportunities for artists who might otherwise struggle to find exhibition space.

“Anglesea Art Space has allowed many people to exhibit for the first time. It is a place of encouragement,” she said.

Clapham said the gallery had become an important stepping stone for emerging artists, offering a welcoming environment where people could gain confidence and exhibit publicly for the first time.

Its accessible location and welcoming atmosphere, meanwhile, encouraged locals and visitors alike to walk through the door.

As a member of the Surf Coast Weaver Birds, Clapham said the group’s annual exhibition alone attracted more than 940 visitors this year and generated about $17,500 in sales.

“It’s not just a gallery; it is an important meeting place for many locals, young and old, arty or just people who enjoy art,” she said.